Ch.29Meeting (4)
by fnovelpia
How many instances are there when time seems to flow relatively quickly? While everyone’s criteria may differ, there are generally two cases.
The first is when you’re doing something extremely enjoyable or fun. As the saying goes, “time flies when you’re having fun” – when people concentrate on something, time tends to pass like an arrow. Afterward, they blame the insufficient time with regret.
The second is when days repeat in a continuous routine. This case is slightly different. The process itself may be unbearably boring, but when you look back, you realize time has passed incredibly quickly.
And I’m experiencing both phenomena. Classes I want to attend pass quickly because I enjoy them, while boring lectures pass quickly because I zone out during them.
As a result, though it feels like just yesterday that I went shopping for formal attire with my sister, it’s already Friday. I don’t take Economics, which is the last class on Friday, so all my classes end at 3 o’clock.
“That concludes today’s lecture. I hope you all enjoy yourselves at tomorrow’s gathering. Everyone.”
As the short-haired professor bowed politely, the classroom filled with applause. I also responded to his excellent lecture with enthusiastic clapping.
The class I just attended, “Military Science,” was merely a course I took for credits, but the professor explained things so well that I naturally became interested. Based on my historical knowledge from my previous life, whenever I asked questions, the professor would explain things in a way I could understand.
“And Isaac?”
“Yes?”
As the applause began to die down, the professor called my name. I stopped clapping and hesitated at his call.
The professor maintained his characteristically stern expression and spoke with an emphasizing tone.
“As I mentioned earlier, naval warfare on the sea is completely different from land warfare. As you said, even if there were ‘incarnations,’ they cannot overcome the power that comes from overwhelming physical differences.”
“Ah… yes.”
“Still, it was quite a good question. How to turn the tide of an unfavorable battle without remarkable military force, using only command. But keep in mind that a wise commander wouldn’t have engaged in that battle in the first place. Well then.”
The Military Science professor gave a concise explanation and left the classroom. I couldn’t help but feel dumbfounded even after he had gone.
‘Then how did they win the Battle of Myeongnyang?’
The topic I had asked about during the lecture was the “Battle of Myeongnyang.” It was an achievement of the heroic Admiral Yi Sun-sin, a historical truth that no Korean would be unaware of.
Of course, I didn’t explain the detailed historical background, but rather adapted it to fit this world. Even in the Battle of Myeongnyang, while the Joseon navy was lacking in numbers, their specifications were excellent, so I didn’t forget to add various details. I had quietly attended lectures for two weeks just for this one question, which I finally asked today.
But the Military Science professor cut me off. He said that while it might be possible to inflict significant damage on the opponent, achieving victory was absolutely “impossible.” Even if the commander was a “incarnation” chosen by the gods.
‘Did I make the analogy too strange? Or…’
I couldn’t tell whether it was because Earth and this world were too different, or if the very existence of Yi Sun-sin simply didn’t make sense here.
In fact, the actual historical situation was even worse than what I described to the professor. Just in case, I had made the background and situation a bit better, but the professor still declared it impossible.
“Why are you making such a serious face? Even I thought it was nonsensical.”
As I was pondering how to make it more realistic, Marie, who was sitting next to me, snickered and spoke. I paused my thoughts and looked at her.
Marie had one corner of her mouth raised, with an expression that seemed to say I should talk sense.
“…You think so too?”
“Of course. How could just 12 ships defeat a force of over 100 ships? If it were me, I’d have cut off the head of any commander who attempted such a battle. It would be better to preserve those forces and combine them with other troops. From a soldier’s perspective, that would be a pointless death.”
But Admiral Yi Sun-sin still won. Despite being half-abandoned by the king, and having all the troops he had built up destroyed by Won Gyun before that.
But those words would never come out. I just smiled foolishly and agreed with her.
“Hahaha… right? It’s a nonsensical story, isn’t it?”
“You show some eccentric tendencies from time to time.”
Marie said that and stood up from her seat. I also got up to return to the dormitory.
“Are you leaving?”
As the two of us stood up, Rina, who was sitting behind us, asked in a soft voice. By the way, Cecilly was sitting next to Rina.
Originally, Cecilly had agreed to sit separately from Rina until she finished reading Volume 8 of the Biography of Xenon, but not anymore. It seems she must have finished reading Volume 8.
“You know that Isaac and I don’t take Economics. Why do you ask?”
Marie responded in a tone tinged with roughness. I had noticed before, but as time passed, Marie’s frequency of showing discomfort toward Rina increased. If she had been cautiously wary before, now she was almost openly abrasive.
However, Rina shrugged with complete composure. The small smile on her lips clearly showed that she didn’t mind Marie’s behavior at all.
“I just felt a bit sad. I wanted to talk with you both a bit more.”
“Could you not say things you don’t mean? Let’s go, Isaac.”
“Uh… okay.”
“See you both at tomorrow’s gathering~”
Before I could move, Cecilly waved her hand with a bright smile. As if enchanted, I waved back and then hurried to follow Marie.
Even as I followed Marie, I didn’t forget to greet Rina. When I nodded my head as a greeting, Rina’s smile deepened.
I felt slightly uneasy at that smile, but I tried to shake it off.
“Really… that irritating smile is always unpleasant to see.”
On our way back to the dormitory after leaving the classroom, Marie grumbled. It was more like she was badmouthing rather than just grumbling.
I was curious about why Marie disliked Rina, but I kept it to myself. I usually refrain from asking such things until the person brings it up themselves.
Instead, it’s better to change the subject. I watched Marie carefully and cautiously brought up a new topic.
“You’ll be attending tomorrow’s gathering too, right?”
“Even if I don’t want to, I have to. I’m the daughter of Duke Reckyless. I need to build connections early on.”
Nicole had described the gathering as an event where new students laugh, talk, and have fun, but from Marie’s words, it seemed that wasn’t entirely the case.
As she said, the most important thing for nobles is connections, or networking.
Without connections, there would be no one to help in times of crisis, and above all, politics is an unavoidable matter for nobles.
For commoners, the new student gathering is just an event, but for nobles, it’s a space to build connections. Simply put, it’s like a rehearsal for the future.
“You’re attending too, right? I heard from Rina.”
Marie looked at me and asked. I don’t know when she heard it, but since it was true, I nodded.
When I confirmed, Marie’s fine brow slightly furrowed. Her discomfort was clearly evident.
“She really has a talent for making people uncomfortable. Rina didn’t pressure you, did she? Be honest.”
“Absolutely not. I voluntarily decided to participate.”
“Hmm…”
At my denial, Marie stared at me directly with her blue eyes. As Cecilly had mentioned before, my inner thoughts tend to show on my face.
Although Marie couldn’t read my expressions at the level of Cecilly’s mind-reading, she could make rough guesses through my facial color. So I was trying my best to control myself so that my facial color wouldn’t change.
After a moment, Marie, who had been staring intently at my face, backed off with an ambiguous expression. Fortunately, my facial color didn’t seem to have changed.
“It’s really voluntary? Rina didn’t say something like ‘I’d like you to attend’ with that kind of nuance?”
“Absolutely not.”
Marie knows Rina well, as much as she dislikes her.
“And you even bought formal attire?”
“Formal attire?”
“Yes.”
“Hmm…”
Marie made a strange humming sound at the mention of me buying formal attire, then looked me up and down. It felt like she was appraising me, which made me slightly uncomfortable.
Eventually, Marie seemed to have finished her appraisal as she nodded and opened her mouth. It was a satisfied voice.
“It would suit you quite well. Who made the one you bought?”
“Uh… I don’t know. My sister picked it out for me.”
“How much did it cost?”
“7 gold and 99 silver, I think?”
“Huh? That’s all?”
As expected of a duke’s daughter. She treated 8 gold, equivalent to about 800,000 won, as “that’s all.”
I recalled her family background and asked in return.
“What about you?”
“I have one I brought from home. My father gave it to me as a birthday present, and it was made for me by the famous Zelt.”
Marie boasted confidently, but I don’t know who Zelt is. Probably a master craftsman related to tailoring.
In this world, the fabrics used to make clothes are well-developed, like seeing training clothes or leggings. Alchemy can substitute for chemistry, and recipes are widely spread, making mass production possible to some extent.
However, making clothes is a different story.
Here, sewing machines haven’t even been invented yet, so clothes must be sewn by hand, stitch by stitch. Therefore, while commoners’ clothes are affordable, nobles’ clothes are made by master craftsmen and are incredibly expensive.
“That must be extremely expensive.”
“Of course. It would easily exceed 100 gold, I’d guess? Well, it’s relatively cheap for something made by Zelt.”
To think a single dress costs 10 million won – the world of the rich is truly incomprehensible.
As we talked, Marie seemed to be in a playful mood and smiled mischievously. Then, with confidence, she declared to me.
“Don’t fall for me when you see me in my dress. Even my brother reluctantly admitted I looked pretty.”
I responded to her teasing with just one line.
“You’re pretty even now.”
“…Eh?”
“I said you’re plenty pretty even now.”
“Uh… uhh…”
Perhaps she realized I was being sincere despite my bluntness. Her skin, white as rice cake, instantly turned red. My answer seemed to have caught her off guard.
But the fact that Marie is a beautiful woman is undeniable. I was just stating that fact straightforwardly.
“Uh… well… that… umm…”
After that, Marie couldn’t easily speak for quite some time. Her face was so red that if you pressed it with your finger, red liquid would drip out.
Seeing that, I wondered if I shouldn’t have said it, but she was the one who teased first. Honestly, it’s even ambiguous to call it teasing since I was being sincere, so I had no intention of taking it back.
“Um… thanks. It’s a bit embarrassing to hear that from you, of all people.”
“What’s wrong with me?”
“You’re… you know… blunt, and when you lie, it shows all over your face. So… anyway, that’s it.”
Marie nodded with her reddened face and then closed her mouth again.
After some time passed, Marie, who had been looking only at the ground as she walked, glanced at me.
“…Isaac.”
“Yes.”
“Am I really pretty?”
“If you don’t believe me, ask someone else. Ten out of ten would say you’re pretty.”
“…Hehe.”
Is that so pleasing?
Marie smiled broadly at my blunt answer. Unlike her first impression of being tough, she was showing a fresh, adolescent girlishness.
Her different side was so refreshing that I couldn’t help but smile warmly.
“Isaac.”
“Yes.”
“You’ll definitely come to our mansion during the break, right?”
I wonder if it’s my imagination that those words came across in a strange way. The current warm atmosphere and Marie’s reactions felt somewhat peculiar.
Anyway, there’s a reasonable reason, so I have no intention of refusing.
“Of course I have to go. You said the author of the Biography of Xenon is coming too, right?”
After hearing that from Marie, I sent a letter to my father. And my father replied that there had never been any trace of the author, and it was highly likely to be an impersonation.
Thanks to that, I was relieved, but I became more curious about the identity of the impersonator. What kind of bold person would try to scam a duke, of all people?
Marie blinked as if thinking for a moment after hearing my words, then belatedly realized something and told me.
“Ah~ that? I forgot to tell you. My father said that person was an impersonator.”
“What?”
“An impersonator, he said. There were several suspicious circumstances, and upon investigation, it turned out to be a well-known con artist from before. Now that the Biography of Xenon is famous, he tried to impersonate the author but got caught by us.”
It was a surprisingly disappointing result, but when you think about it, it was the expected outcome. A duke wouldn’t easily believe such claims and would have had people thoroughly investigate.
In essence, the impersonator dug his own grave. He probably thought he could make a big score, but he chose the wrong opponent.
“And my father met him once and said he didn’t have the calluses that long-time writers have, so he was suspicious from the beginning. Don’t you have them too, Isaac?”
“This?”
I raised my hand to show her the “pen callus” she described. Marie confirmed the callus on my middle finger and nodded vigorously.
“Yes. Yes. That’s it. My father also developed calluses there from paperwork. But yours seems worse than my father’s?”
“I study diligently.”
By now, I can handle this kind of situation skillfully. Marie looked at my answer with an understanding expression, then asked in an anxious voice.
“…So you won’t come to our mansion?”
“Hmm…”
At her question, I thought deeply. I’m sorry to Marie, but now that the invited author has been exposed as an impersonator, there’s no reason for me to visit her mansion.
‘There’s no need to take unnecessary risks…’
Although the duke had people catch the impersonator, from Marie’s story, it’s clear that he’s a very observant person. Therefore, the moment I meet the duke and shake hands, there’s a high possibility he’ll notice the existence of my pen callus.
I could answer as I did to Marie, saying it’s because I study a lot, but once suspicion arises, it tends to grow rapidly.
Especially since the duke would consider all possibilities, he might not necessarily think that the author of the Biography of Xenon is an elderly sage.
Above all, I’m not a pervert or a fool to stick my head into danger when a tiger has its jaws wide open.
I glanced at Marie, who was looking anxious, and carefully gave my answer. I’m sorry to her, but I should refuse what needs to be refused.
“…Maybe?”
“Ugh… I shouldn’t have said… No, wait.”
Marie grumbled with disappointment, but then muttered softly as if she had a sudden thought. She gently rubbed her chin, her expression incredibly serious, as if planning something.
What kind of scheme is she plotting to look so serious? I had never seen such a serious face from her during our time together, so I couldn’t help but feel uneasy.
“If it’s not possible, make it possible… If he says he won’t come, make him come…”
“… …”
“…Alright. Isaac?”
Marie, who had been muttering in a barely audible voice, called me with a bright smile. I responded stiffly, feeling ominous.
“What.”
“What if it’s not me inviting you, but my father? Would you still refuse?”
“…Hey.”
Now she’s using her father’s influence to pressure me. Even though I gave her an incredulous look, Marie just kept smiling.
“And though I didn’t mention it, my father is also interested in you. He wondered how broad your knowledge must be for a student to teach history, he said. Plus, if I get good history grades here, he’ll be even more interested, right?”
“… …”
“What will you do? Will you come when I ask, or when my father asks?”
“Fine. I’ll come. Happy now? That’s really unfair.”
“Great!”
When I answered with a tone of resignation, Marie clenched both hands in joy. I shook my head as I watched her rejoice.
I reluctantly accepted because it was Marie; if it had been someone else, I would have refused outright. Marie might not have realized it, but what just happened was clearly using “power.” It’s an action far removed from the ideology of her family, the Reckyless.
But if I pointed that out now, Marie might be greatly shocked. It’s better for both of us to bury this matter in our hearts.
Besides, seeing Marie bounce with joy, even my negative feelings seemed to melt away.
“So you’ve agreed? If you suddenly say you can’t come, you’ll be in trouble.”
“I understand. That will absolutely not happen, so don’t worry.”
“Good. Then I’ll see you at tomorrow’s gathering! Bye~!”
Marie waved her hand energetically and headed towards the female students’ dormitory. I also waved back and returned to my dormitory.
As soon as I returned to the dormitory, I roughly took off my uniform and threw myself onto the bed. The soft sensation permeated my entire body, making me strongly desire to rest like this.
‘Aside from the duke’s mansion, at tomorrow’s gathering…’
The gathering is an event where not only literary students but also martial students gather together. Although Nicole said there was no need to worry, I was still concerned.
Jackson was already desperate to get at me, so I wondered what kind of insulting remarks I would receive at the gathering. Of course, since I treat Jackson like a child, it wouldn’t bother me at all.
I don’t feel any emotion when someone whose brain isn’t fully developed shouts at me. His elitist mindset also feels like middle school syndrome, so it doesn’t really resonate with me.
‘By the way, will Leona attend?’
Suddenly, I thought of Leona, the beastkin. Will she attend tomorrow’s gathering? Honestly, given her circumstances, there’s a high probability she won’t.
I lay on the bed, blankly staring at the ceiling, then slightly turned my head. The formal attire I would wear tomorrow was hanging on the clothes rack. Just that outfit alone costs over 800,000 won.
‘I hope it’s worth the price.’
Thinking that, I abruptly got up from the bed. It’s too wasteful to kill time like this. At times like these, it’s beneficial to work on my manuscript.
Then, I sat at the desk and opened a notebook, not the one for lectures, but one where I had organized the plot. It contained meticulously arranged developments and episodes, as well as characteristics and rough descriptions of the characters.
‘For the Seven Deadly Sins, let’s make Wrath a beastkin. If we add a setting where their family was massacred by humans, and they were even betrayed by fellow beastkin…’
I took out the magic pen my father had given me from my front pocket and began to write.
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